Exploring Sydney and Beyond!

Good Morning Blog Followers!!!

I am back at the helm of writing after giving Diana a crack at it and taking the day off yesterday!

So here we have completed our weekend as it is currently Sunday evening here, with to or row being our last full day in Sydney:( Our weekend, however, was most excellent as the rains finally subsided ( the most rain here in July in 50 years, go figure!)

So yesterday (Saturday), Diana and I got up early and headed down to Circular Quay ( in the last of the rain),to catch the city hop on, hop off bus, where we get to see the entire city and get off and on the bus as we please! We got to see Pitt Street, the most expensive street in Australia with some fancy stores! We then saw Hyde Park, a swing by the Opera House, out to the " happening" section of town...wink, wink.. And a few of the older buildings. We finally hopped off the bus in the Rocks where the street was shut down for a outdoor market! We walked the market, stopped in a store for fresh scones, cream, jelly and beverages...very lovely! We walked back through town to the Hyde Park Barracks, which have been there since the time of the convicts! Afterward we hit the Australian Museum, because we are nerds like that, and then went to Queen Victoria Place, one of the shopping areas.

After our very busy day, we rested and headed out for dinner at, again, Wagamama! We capped off the evening at the hotel bar, with Albert, our fantastic bartender! My parents came by after church and drank and ate dinner at the bar with us! My parents also got to do their tour of the Opera House today too! It was a great day and fantastic evening!

So today, Sunday, Diana and I were again up and out!! We decided on a trip west to the Blue Mountains, which we found out are blue because of the eucalyptus oils emitted from the trees creates a blue haze... Totally awesome! So we hopped the city trains and two hours later were well into the mountains where we again, grabbed a hop on, hop off bus and we found ourselves in one amazing setting! Please consult Diana's fb page for some fantastic pics! We then hopped back on and back to the little town of Katoombah ...where we found a lovely cafe...imagine Cracker Barrel on steroids! It was great! Lunch was pumpkin soup and open faced grilled cheese! We then headed back into Sydney for a relaxing evening!

Tomorrow will be time for my Dad and I to climb to the top of the Sydney Harbor Bridge, then the zoo!!

Hope everyone at home is holding up in the heat...we sympathize with you!!

Much love
Stacy and Diana